New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns moves to box out Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in the first half of preseason NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

The Knicks went all-in during the offseason swinging a pair of blockbuster trades. But new York needs more than just their stars to succeed.

Before he was acquired by the New York Knicks, Mikal Bridges looked poised to become the face of the Brooklyn Nets' franchise. The main piece of the Kevin

Jalen Brunson can no longer be ignored. He has emerged as an MVP candidate following an impressive second season with the New York Knicks. After a dominant playoff performance, Brunson has proved himself as one of the NBA’s top players.

However, NBA teams have only ever taken a flier on him. Since going undrafted out of UCLA in 2019, the 25-year-old has spent the last five years bouncing from team to team while mostly toiling on two-way contracts in the G-League.